New World Activity

NEW WORLD (Download full lesson)
This is a new twist on a classic ESL conversation activity. Its main purpose is to get groups to discuss possibilities and to agree and disagree with each other before coming to a final conclusion, which leaves it open for a good selection of different language that could be pre-taught as a build up to this fun activity.

The world is coming to an end and we must start up a new civilization on a new planet. There is a spaceship that can only take 6 people, so, the task is to choose 6 out of the 12 people available, who would be the most suitable to start a new world.

Put the class in groups to discuss their answers. Students must explain why they chose each person and how they can help advance the new world.

It’s very important to set the scene well, so the teacher needs to tell the story dramatically to help the students become more immersed in the part the play.

New vocabulary:

population- populate- over populated- under populated

reproduction- reproduce

rebuild

produce crops- farm the land

build houses

lead the people

entertain people

educate the youth

civil society

maintain law and order

treat the ill

Profile information

AGE SEX NATIONALITY OCCUPATION

47 Male American Politician

17 Female Japanese Model

36 Female Kenyan Illiterate (pregnant)

61 Male Chinese Farmer

32 Male English Engineer

27 Female Mexican Teacher

68 Female German Doctor

25 Male Korean Singer

12 Male Zimbabwean Student

14 Female Spanish Student

29 Male Irish Carpenter

34 Female Brazilian Policewoman

It is now a few hundred years later and the new world is thriving with over 100,000 people. Now it’s time to discuss what the laws and rules will be for the new world. Explain the new language and then have the students answer the discussion questions in their groups.

Political systems:

Democracy Communism Dictatorship Theocracy Monarchy Meritocracy

Languages:

standardized language dialects hybrid

censorship free speech freedom of expression regulations

Industry:

technology finance manufacturing agriculture

State Religion:

Christianity Buddhism Islam Hinduism Judaism Atheism

Discuss the following questions.

Which political system will the new world have?

What will the official language(s) be?

Will there be censorship?

What industries will your country try to develop?

Will citizens be allowed to carry a gun?

Will there be the death penalty?

Will there be a state religion?

What will the educational system be like? Will there be compulsory education to a certain age?

Who will be allowed to marry?

Have students present their answers to the class.

To extend this class, you could have groups debate the decisions they have made for a new society.